


Complication

by knitekat



Category: Primeval
Genre: Gen, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-09
Updated: 2014-08-09
Packaged: 2018-02-12 11:08:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2107575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knitekat/pseuds/knitekat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James Lester's good mood at the duel threats of Helen and Christine being over is destroyed by unexpected news and events from the past come back to bite him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Complication

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks go to Fredbassett for the beta.

Lester strolled into the ARC in a happy mood. The dual threats: Christine trying to take control of the ARC and Helen trying to destroy everyone had ended. Both women were dead – killed by a future predator and a raptor, apparently. Cutter was healing well and, for the moment at least, was not causing Lester any problems.

Once safely ensconced in his office, Lester leaned back in his chair and surveyed his domain briefly before he started to plough through his paperwork and check his e-mails.

An unknown sender sparked Lester's curiosity and he opened the message. Anyone who could get this far through security had to be legit.

As he read the contents, Lester's face paled and he had to re-read the message several times. After quickly writing the contact details down, Lester sat there for a moment as his hand hovered over the receiver.

He stood up abruptly and grabbed his jacket. Walking purposely out of his office, he stated, “Lorraine, I'll be out for ... the rest of the day. Only call me if it is life or death.” Without waiting for an answer he quickly walked out of the ARC.

***

Lester paused outside the building as he checked and re-checked the address. He sighed, this wasn't like him. Not like him at all. What exactly was he concerned about? Something told Lester that his life was about to change.

Gathering his cold bureaucratic demeanour round him, Lester strolled into the building's reception as if he owned it. He didn't return the receptionist's smile, and merely informed her who he was and who he wished to see.

Glancing around as he waited, Lester couldn't help but muse that the place looked the part. All leather seats, plush carpets and mahogany.

Luckily for the receptionist, a well-dressed man walked out of the lift and approached Lester before he demanded action, now.

“Sir James?”

“Yes.”

“Ah. If you would care to accompany me, sir?”

Lester sighed under his breath before following the man. He had better things to be doing than this.

The office was obviously meant to impress clients, but Lester merely cast a mildly disapproving eye over it.

“You sent me an e-mail. I want to know how you got my address.”

“Sir James? I don't ...”

“You don't have the required clearance to have that address. Be glad I came in person and didn't send security.” Lester gave the man a rather unpleasant smile.

“Um.” The somewhat flustered man shuffled his paperwork before showing Lester a document.

Lester raised an eyebrow. “Now why would Christine Johnson give you my e-mail?”

“Ah, you see, Sir James. We are her lawyers. The executors of her will.”

“Which has what to do with me?”

“Oh. Um, well, you see ...”

“Are you sure you are a lawyer?”

The man sat up straighter and tried to glare at Lester. “Yes. Er, I think I have a shock for you, Sir James.”

Lester raised his eyebrow again.

“Ms Johnson's will leaves everything to you.”

“What! Why?”

“Er, it seems she has a child, Sir James. You are listed as the father.”

Lester blinked several times. He couldn't have heard that correctly. “What did you say?”

“I can see this is a shock to you, but you are listed as the child's father on the birth certificate. Er, born twelve years ago.”

Lester's thoughts travelled back to that time. He had been going through a rough patch in his marriage. Christine had been there, a sympathetic ear. One thing had led to another. But it had only been one night. He had never thought.

“How do I know it's mine?”

The lawyer smiled slightly and Lester realised he had let slip he and Christine had been together. “If you wish, we could perform a paternity test. But Ms Johnson was implicit that you were the father.”

“Bloody hell.”

“Quite, sir. I'll leave you to digest the information.”

Lester didn't notice the man leaving. Fuck. Now what should he do? His wife would bloody kill him, but she would take in this ... his child. Assuming it was his, of course. He racked his memory, had there been rumours of Christine and anyone else? But then again, he hadn't heard of any talk of him and Christine being together.

He sighed, a paternity test would at least answer the question of whether the child was his or not.

A knock on the door interrupted Lester's thoughts and he glared at the intruder, even though it was the lawyer's own office.

“Sir?”

Lester sighed. “OK, I'll have the test.”

The lawyer nodded, “I'll sort it out.”

“No. I'll have my people do the test.”

“We need to do it, sir. The law ...”

Lester sighed again. “I want my people to check it as well.”

The lawyer nodded. “Of course, sir.” He tidied his papers up. “Will there be anything else today?”

Lester shook his head. “Let me know when the testing has been arranged.” He paused. “What happens to the child ...”

“If it isn't yours, sir? A children's home, foster parents maybe.”

Lester nodded and left, but the entire time he drove home his thoughts were running around in circles. If the child was his, he would look after it obviously. But if it wasn't ... he might have grown to dislike Christine, but she had been a friend at one point. Could he leave the care of her child to the state?

As he pulled into his drive, Lester already knew his wife would be furious with him. If he was lucky, he'd be sleeping on the settee. Otherwise ... he understood the ARC's bunkroom wasn't too bad.


End file.
